The Capitol Conference is a high school athletic conference in south central Wisconsin. It was founded in 1969, and its member schools are affiliated with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA).
History
1969-1994
The Capitol Conference was formed in 1969 after the breakup of the larger Madison Suburban Conference into three separate organizations. Six of its original members came from the conference's Western section (Lodi, McFarland, Poynette, Verona, Waunakee and Wisconsin Heights) and two came from the Central section (DeForest and Waterloo). In 1977, Poynette left to rejoin the Dual County Conference (having previously been a member from 1926 to 1954) and Waterloo became a member of the Eastern Suburban Conference. Two schools moved over from the Central Suburban Conference (Columbus and Lake Mills) to take their place and keep the conference at eight member schools. Mount Horeb joined the Capitol Conference after leaving the Southern Eight Conference in 1983, replacing Lake Mills, who briefly joined the Eastern Suburban Conference. In 1987, DeForest and Waunakee left to become the newest members of the Badger Conference with Lake Mills and Poynette rejoining the Capitol Conference as their replacements.
1994-2006 By 1994, the Verona Area School District was the fastest-growing district in the Madison area, and they were invited to enter the Badger Conference with an eye towards continued future growth. Lakeside Lutheran in Lake Mills took their place in 1995 after leaving the Eastern Suburban Conference, renewing their crosstown rivalry with Lake Mills. Cambridge, Marshall and Waterloo followed Lakeside Lutheran out of the Eastern Suburban in 2001, offsetting the loss of Lodi and Poynette to the South Central Conference and McFarland and Mount Horeb to the Badger Conference. For Waterloo, this was their second stint in the conference after having been a member from 1969 to 1977. The Capitol Conference would remain a seven-member league for the next five years before major changes would occur.
2006-present In 2006, the Capitol Conference reached its high of twelve member schools when Lodi and Poynette rejoined from the South Central Conference, Belleville and New Glarus came over from the Six Rivers Conference and Luther Prep in Watertown was added after being displaced from the Parkland Conference when it ceased operations. With the addition of the new schools came realignment into the Capitol North and Capitol South divisions: Capitol NorthCapitol SouthColumbusBellevilleLake MillsCambridgeLakeside LutheranMarshallLodiNew GlarusLuther PrepWaterlooPoynetteWisconsin Heights This alignment stayed intact for sixteen years before Luther Prep exited the conference to rejoin the Midwest Classic Conference in 2023. In 2025, Waupun joined from the disbanded East Central Conference, taking Luther Prep's place in the Capitol North. For the 2027-28 school year, the WIAA's Board of Controls approved a move by Portage from the Badger Conference Small Schools division to the Capitol Conference as its thirteenth member.
Football-only alignment In February 2019, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, the WIAA released a sweeping football-only realignment for Wisconsin to commence with the 2020 football season and run on a two-year cycle. Eight schools were designated as football members for the Capitol Conference: Big Foot, Columbus, Horicon/Hustisford, Lake Mills, Lakeside Lutheran, Lodi, Luther Prep and Turner. The Capitol Conference also operates a small-school division consisting of Cambridge, Clinton, Dodgeland, Markesan, Marshall, Palmyra-Eagle, Pardeeville and Waterloo. This conference competes under the Eastern Suburban Conference banner, which was the name of an all-sport conference that last played in 2001. Several schools entering the Capitol Conference for football had primary affiliations with the Rock Valley and Trailways Conferences. In 2022, Horicon/Hustisford moved over to the Eastern Suburban Conference and Luther Prep left to join the Midwest Classic Conference. The six remaining schools in the Capitol Conference welcomed Edgewood from the Rock Valley Conference and New Glarus/Monticello from the Southwest Wisconsin Conference to bring the roster to eight schools. Three schools left the Capitol Conference football alignment in 2024: Edgewood and Lakeside Lutheran left the Capitol Conference as football members in 2024 to join the Badger Conference, and New Glarus returned to the Southwest Wisconsin Conference after a two-year absence. The two outgoing schools were replaced by Clinton and Horicon/Hustisford, with the latter making their return from the Eastern Suburban Conference. The Capitol Conference will be receiving a massive overhaul to their football roster for the 2026-27 cycle, losing former associate members Big Foot, Clinton and Turner to full affiliation with the Rock Valley Conference and Horicon/Hustisford to a return to the Eastern Suburban Conference. They will be replaced by former Badger Conference members Lakeside Lutheran and Portage and two schools from the Rock Valley Conference (Edgerton and Jefferson). The conference will also be gaining a scheduling partner in the Rock Valley, with one mandatory crossover game per season counting towards conference standings.
List of conference members
Current full members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoinedDivisionBellevilleBelleville, WIPublic265Wildcats 2006SouthCambridgeCambridge, WIPublic294Bluejays 2001SouthColumbusColumbus, WIPublic385Cardinals 1977NorthLake MillsLake Mills, WIPublic436L-Cats 1977, 1987NorthLakeside LutheranLake Mills, WIPrivate (Lutheran, WELS)566Warriors 1995NorthLodiLodi, WIPublic429Blue Devils 1969, 2006NorthMarshallMarshall, WIPublic254Cardinals 2001SouthNew GlarusNew Glarus, WIPublic308Glarner Knights 2006SouthPoynettePoynette, WIPublic289Pumas 1969, 1987, 2006NorthWaterlooWaterloo, WIPublic233Pirates 1969, 2001SouthWaupunWaupun, WIPublic568Warriors 2025NorthWisconsin HeightsMazomanie, WIPublic226Vanguards 1969South
Notes
Current associate members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsPrimary ConferenceSport(s)DeerfieldDeerfield, WIPublicDemons TrailwaysBoys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country,Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer EdgertonEdgerton, WIPublicCrimson Tide Rock ValleyFootballJeffersonJefferson, WIPublicEagles Rock ValleyFootballLuther PrepWatertown, WIPrivate (WELS)Phoenix Midwest ClassicGirls TennisMayvilleMayville, WIPublicCardinals Wisconsin FlywayGirls TennisMonticelloMonticello, WIPublicPonies Six RiversBoys GolfPortagePortage, WIPublicWarriors BadgerFootballWayland AcademyBeaver Dam, WIPrivate (Nonsectarian)Big Red TrailwaysGirls Tennis
Notes
Current co-operative members TeamColorsHost SchoolCo-operative MembersSport(s)Sugar River Raiders BellevilleMonticello (wrestling only), New GlarusBoys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Boys Wrestling, Girls WrestlingUnited Soccer DeerfieldCambridge, WaterlooBoys Soccer, Girls Soccer
Future full members SchoolLocationAffiliationEnrollmentMascotColorsJoiningFormer ConferencePortagePortage, WIPublic600Warriors 2027Badger
Former full members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsJoinedLeftConference JoinedCurrent ConferenceDeForestDeForest, WIPublicNorskies 19691987BadgerLuther PrepWatertown, WIPublic (Lutheran, WELS)Phoenix 20062023Midwest ClassicMcFarlandMcFarland, WIPublicSpartans 19692001BadgerMount HorebMount Horeb, WIPublicVikings 19832001BadgerVeronaVerona, WIPublicWildcats 19691994BadgerBig EightWaunakeeWaunakee, WIPublicWarriors 19691987Badger
Former football-only members SchoolLocationAffiliationMascotColorsSeasonsPrimary ConferenceBig FootWalworth, WIPublicChiefs 2020-2025Rock ValleyClintonClinton, WIPublicCougars 2024-2025Rock ValleyEdgewoodMadison, WIPrivate (Catholic)Crusaders 2022-2023BadgerHoricon/HustisfordHoricon, WIPublicMarshmen 2020-2021,2024-2025TrailwaysTurnerBeloit, WIPublicTrojans 2020-2025Rock Valley
Membership timeline
Football members
Membership map
Sponsored sports Belleville●●●●●●●●●●●●● Cambridge●●●●●●●●●●●●Columbus●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Lake Mills●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Lakeside Lutheran●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Lodi●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Marshall●●●●●●●●●●● New Glarus●●●●●●●●● Poynette●●●●●●●●●●● Waterloo●●●●●●●●●●●Waupun●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Wisconsin Heights●●●●●●●●●●●●
Notes
List of state champions
Fall sports +Boys Cross CountrySchoolYearDivision Wisconsin Heights1973Small Schools Verona1974Class B Verona1982Class B Verona1991Division 2 McFarland1996Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran1999Division 2 (WISAA) Lakeside Lutheran2023Division 2 +Girls Cross CountrySchoolYearDivision Verona1980Class B Verona1981Class B Mount Horeb1983Class B Verona1984Class B Mount Horeb1990Division 2 Mount Horeb1994Division 2 Mount Horeb1995Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2007Division 2 +FootballSchoolYearDivision DeForest1982Division 4Columbus1990Division 4Columbus1996Division 4 Lodi2017Division 4Columbus2022Division 4 Lodi2023Division 4 +Boys SoccerSchoolYearDivisionColumbus2008Division 3 Sugar River Raiders2023Division 3 +Girls VolleyballSchoolYearDivision Waunakee1985Class B Waunakee1986Class B Wisconsin Heights2008Division 3 Waterloo2014Division 3 Waterloo2015Division 3 Lakeside Lutheran2017Division 2
Winter sports +Boys BasketballSchoolYearDivision McFarland1973Class B McFarland1974Class C Marshall2002Division 3 New Glarus2019Division 4 +Girls BasketballSchoolYearDivision McFarland1983Class B McFarland1999Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2001Division 3Columbus2002Division 2Columbus2003Division 2 Marshall2018Division 3 Marshall2019Division 3 Lake Mills2021Division 2 +GymnasticsSchoolYearDivision Lake Mills1979Class B Lake Mills1980Class B Mount Horeb1984Class B Mount Horeb1993Division 2 +Boys Swimming & DivingSchoolYearDivision Verona1993Division 2 +Boys WrestlingSchoolYearDivision Lodi1998Division 2 Lodi2008Division 2
Spring sports +BaseballSchoolYearDivision Wisconsin Heights1989Class C Lodi2013Division 2 Wisconsin Heights2014Division 3 +Boys GolfSchoolYearDivision Mount Horeb1988Class B Lodi1990Class B Lodi1996Division 2 Lake Mills1997Division 3 Lodi1998Division 2 Lodi2015Division 2 Cambridge2023Division 3 +SoftballSchoolYearDivision Waunakee1987Class B Poynette1998Division 2 Poynette2011Division 3 Poynette2018Division 3 Poynette2019Division 3 Poynette2022Division 2 +Boys Track & FieldSchoolYearDivision McFarland1977Class C Verona1992Division 2 Sugar River Raiders2012Division 2 Cambridge2018Division 3 Lodi2021Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2023Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2024Division 2 +Girls Track & FieldSchoolYearDivision Lake Mills1974Class B Lake Mills1980Class B Verona1984Class B Verona1985Class B Lake Mills1986Class B Verona1991Division 2 Mount Horeb/Barneveld1996Division 2 McFarland2001Division 2Columbus2004Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2005Division 2 Lakeside Lutheran2006Division 2
List of conference champions
Boys Basketball SchoolQuantityYears Marshall132002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025Columbus121978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2022, 2023 McFarland111973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Lakeside Lutheran102004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2023 Lake Mills81980, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 New Glarus62017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024, 2025 Lodi52012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022 Wisconsin Heights51975, 1981, 1982, 2000, 2010 Waterloo41971, 1972, 1973, 1976 Waunakee41977, 1984, 1986, 1987 Belleville32022, 2023, 2024 Cambridge32011, 2025, 2026 Poynette31970, 2014, 2015 DeForest21983, 1985Luther Prep22007, 2010 Mount Horeb21995, 2001 Verona21989, 1991Waupun0
Girls Basketball